Batteries generate heat both when charging and when in use. The chemical changes that occur in a battery in moving charge among the chemical components to generate electricity are the source of this heat. The heat generated affects the internal resistance of the battery cell and thereby affects the output voltage generated by the battery and amount of battery life in general. It is therefore important to remove heat from the battery as it is produced.
Traditional battery cooling systems rely on the thermal exchange properties of a single-phase heat transfer material, such as a fluid passed by the cells or a bulk metal heat sink to dissipate heat from the battery. Heat that enters the cooling fluid or the heat sink is then removed from the fluid and the heat sink through contact with the environment. What is needed is a method to remove more heat from the battery without having to increase the ancillary components such as pumps or condensers.
The present invention addresses these need.